Power Rangers - Uprising (Rebirth)
by Jaxxiz8000
Summary: The Power Rangers failed. The Zodiac empire defeated the Earths defenses and conquered the world. Twenty years later the world is a very different place King Zeal the conqueror has moved on to other worlds leaving behind Princess Moira and Prince Zedd to rule over a region split into sectors based of the 12 zodiac generals. Mature themes and language attempt at Fantasy PR
1. Prologue - Rangers No More

Rangers No more

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Authors note:

Hey there! So, this is my first FanFiction. It's in the world of Power Rangers! I have always loved the idea of some kind of Rebel Rangers storyline. So, this is what I am running with. I am going to attempt to write a more fantasy based Power Rangers Story. It will contain some mature scenes, potential swear words and so on. For the most part, it will be ok. I have some interesting ideas I hope will keep fans in suspense. Hope you enjoy!

May the power protect you – it's morphin time!

* * *

 _In a high tower overlooking the ruins of what was once Angel Bay. King Zeal sat on a grand throne, a single guard stood to his right and two fragile humans knelt in the centre of the room. Their eyes never once leaving the floor, both hands raised above their heads pleading for mercy. To the king's left floated the prince, Zed and the princess, Moira._

"This is the price you must pay for standing against the Zodiac empire, I had expected more from Earth's mighty defense force."

The king stood, his body was large and wide at the shoulders. Spikes shot out from the shoulders, the armor was literally built into his body. Wings rested unopened at his back. A tail curled around his feet, scales formed his skin and the hands ended in large claws. A glassy red visor sat where eyes should be and his mouth stuck out slightly like a dog, pointed teeth like a shark finished it off. On his chest, a golden 'Z' circled by the twelve symbols of the zodiac. The generals of his army, the conquerors of earth.

"How does it feel Power Rangers, the earth burns around you and your comrades lay dead at the feet of my army," It came out with a growl, arm raised towards the window.

"My empire shall reign for a thousand years, Earth no longer belongs to _humans_ and you shall die knowing your failure brought your race to it's enslavement."

They had failed.

For centuries, the earth had been defended by specially selected humans that were granted inhuman powers in order to ensure the earth's survival. There had been many guardians tasked with selecting these humans, an alien being known as Zordon was the most famous of earth's recent guardians. Kataen, an alien warrior from the same planet as Zordon was Earth's final protector.

Zeal had taken her head before leaving the command centre in flames. The fall of the command centre cut off the rangers' direct link to the powers gifted to them by the morphin grid. It wasn't long after the foot soldiers and the generals killed the black, yellow and red rangers. Beaten and broken the final two, the blue and pink were brought directly to King Zeal to be executed by his own hands.

"We may have failed Zeal, you may have won but this won't be the end someone will come, they will stop you." Laughs echoed around the room. The king letting out a single bellowing chuckle.

"Blue correct? Your friends were just as optimistic I heard, right before my soldiers drove their blades through them and separated their heads from their shoulders." Blue listened to the king, his fist slowly clenching.

"Rangers forever!" Blue screamed, pink moved to stop him but she wasn't quick enough. She watched as he attempted to stand, his plan clearly to charge the king. Before he even planted his second foot he was lurched from the floor by a flash of gold. A loud crash exploded behind the final kneeling ranger, she glanced back to see her comrade pinned to the wall. The blood already trickling from his mouth, the spear had pierced his chest. The morphin Agrid had changed them.

Their bodies although still human in appearance seemed to be super powered. A shot like that would have once killed them instantly, now the soft groans of pain from blue were like daggers to her ears. The king marched past her, the guard returned to its position weaponless, yet still utterly terrifying. The sound of Zeal's giant hammer smacking the floor caused pink to lower her head. Silence followed and the spear clattered at her side. The princess was Giggling maniacally like some crazy doll. The prince sat silently smiling.

"What of you pink," Zeal wrapped his hand around her throat, lifting her into the air. "Do you feel the same, what was it again, Rangers forever?" squeezing tighter as she clawed at his hand. He walked over to the window, angling her out.

"The rangers were once the most feared force of good across the entire galaxy. Now you are an insect waiting to be crushed. The galaxy of evil has nothing to fear ever again!" He pulled her close and let out a triumphant roar.

"The Power Rangers are no more."

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A/N

This is only the prologue it is mainly here to expand a little on context. Introduce a few characters and so on. I actually have the majority of what I am calling 'phase 1' complete which is fairly large word wise so I am working through choosing where to split it into parts. Should have a few more parts uploaded in a few days. Until then may the power be with you!


	2. Phase 1 - From despair come hope - pt1

Phase 1 - From despair comes hope

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The crowd below moved in one fluid motion, a river of people travelling home after another day of struggles. This had been the same event every night for the past three weeks. As the sun fell, the people flowed and Zane sat perched above, watching. Eyes attuned to every movement through the large eyeholes of the red plague doctor's mask he wore to hide his face.

Zane had found the strange mask a few years ago and instantly taken a liking to it. He was told it had belonged to an ancient group of healers, they wore it for protection. Looking at it's appearance Zane couldn't see how any healer could have been comfortable wearing it. The appearance spoke more of death than life. It was that exact image that drew him to it in the first place. Zane quickly painted it red, the eyes provided enough vision but at the same time hid his features. The beak was short enough to not be a problem but create a distinct look, one that allowed his name to be remembered easily. The red shadow. A name he adopted in the underground. As far as Zane knew there wasn't a single person who knew his true identity.

The job had taken longer to scout than he had hoped. The place was located in a very crowded part of red-snake slums. Zane hated snake sector. It was the worst maintained sector of all twelve. That was saying something considering the region was being run by the Zodiac empire, an alien race that had conquered Earth over twenty years ago now.

Zane didn't know the world before it had become part of the Zodiac empire but he had heard stories. The humans had moved from being top of the food chain to being second choice. Zane watched the people below, beaten, lifeless. They had nothing left, there was no hope anymore only despair. People did what they could to survive and that is exactly what Zane had done.

The streets were his home, the struggles his only friend. They had taught him to be hard and resolute. Nothing was given to you, it had to earned or taken there was no inbetween. Zane made sure to learn all he could, fighting, stealth, cunning. At a young age he had learnt quickly the layout of all the sectors, and how to navigate them quickly as well as efficiently. This path had led him to become a man for hire, one of the best. Zane refused all assassination jobs, they weren't his style. Locating, stealing and retreiving were his specialty.

This job was actually simply, there was an item and Zane had been hired to steal that item. Simple and clean, the way he liked them. The only difficulty had been the location, Captain Mamba-drummer, known as the mad drummer, was the resident of the lair he had been tasked with robbing. That made Zane's task a challenge, not impossible but a challenge. This had prompted Zane to take more time than usual, watching, learning. Zane had to be sure he could get in safely, more importantly, he had to be sure he could get _out_ safely.

The drums sounded.

Zane watched the people part in the street below, forming two uniformed lines either side of the street. Out marched the captain, surrounded by a dozen slithers. Zane hated slithers, they were pesky soldiers. Created on mass to do the whims of the Zodiac empire. Each sector had it's own unique form and slithers were the snakes. They were awkward to look at. As if a large snake had been molded into the body of a human. There head was a snake this continued down across the right side of the chest with the tip of the tail ending where a right are would be. The rest of the body was relatively human, except for the scales and green skin.

Zane waited until Mamba was out of sight. The crowd had returned to its drone like stroll in the sun-set lit street below. So Zane made his move. Raising the hood of the sleeveless jacket, Sliding off the roof, a shadow in the growing darkness. He fell, gripping small ledges and windows to slow his fall before softly landing in the street below.

Without pause he darted forward, shooting over the wall surrounding the lair. Zane had deduced that the best time to safely retrieve the item was when the Captain left his lair, the only time he left his lair. None of the monsters ever locked their doors, why would they? No one ever dared to even tread on the ground they walked. Zane wasn't any more courageous than others, he just made sure he never got caught.

It didn't take Zane long to find the window he was looking for, prying it open he slipped quickly inside. Mamba's lair was pretty simply, an old house that looked relatively untouched. It had a large front room, an unused kitchen and two small side rooms. He was sure the upstairs would prove just as uninteresting.

The room that held what he was looking for happened to be in the opposite direction, the basement. Another simple task, the zodiac creatures thought everyone feared them too much. So there was no lock on the door.

A subtle push and the door creaked open. Silence and darkness greeted him, a musty smell lingered, yet he had smelled worse. Zane quickened his pace, his time was short Mamba was never gone long. After rounding the first corner light flooded the cramped passageway, torches placed at regular intervals defeated the darkness and cleared a path of vision ahead. Zane could see the room he was after, the door stared at him from the far end of the passage.

Again Zane moved quickly, slithering past the other rooms to his left and right eager to get what he came for and leave. This door would also not be locked, though he had been told it had not been opened it some years.

Taking a grip of the handle Zane found it stiff and unyielding. It required a more solid base to pull from, placing one foot on the wall he tried again applying more force this time. Slowly the door loosened, the groan echoing in the flickering light. Zane felt the strain on his muscles, so he let go. Leaving a gap barely big enough for his size. It was big enough however and that was all he needed to slip inside.

Zane cast his gaze across the room and found, very little. To his surprise all he found was a single podium, no room of treasures or stolen items. A single solitary piece of, what looked like metal, sat broken in the center.

After a quick check for traps, to which he could find none. Zane spared a moment to look at the item he had been tasked with retrieving. It certainly didn't appear very spectacular. It was octagon in shape, a light grey in colour and at it's center a empty space sat. It looked like something circular fit, a disk or coin perhaps.

The most glaring feature was the damage, a long gash had been cut into it. Starting at the top right and ending bottom left. Whatever it was there was no way he was stealing it to be used. Zane snatched the strange device, placing it in his jacket pocket. Dashing back out the small gap and into the passageway. He was halfway back to the stairs when he heard it.

Zane froze. The sound, whatever it was, had come from around him. Standing still he listened. Had Mamba returned? If he had Zane knew his chance of survival had just hit near zero. The sound came again. Slightly stronger this time, it wasn't sound from above. It wasn't the sound of drums.

It took a moment for his brain to process exactly what he was hearing. Voices. Muffled, weak, strained. Yet they were voices. Zane turned his gaze to the other rooms he passed without a thought. Every instinct in his body screamed to turn away, leave and be safe. He had his item, he could secure his reward and move on. Yet something urged him forward, towards the sounds, towards the doors. It was stronger than the screams and so he listened.

Zane crept up to the closest door, there was a small gap enough to look through and see what was inside. Immediately and without thinking Zane threw the door open at the sight he found. He stood in the doorway, his masked eyes staring in disbelief at the beaten figure of a women restrained to the wall.

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A/N

This is the first of four parts. You have met Zane our resident thief. He's journey has only just begun.

\- End of Part 1 -


	3. Phase 1 - From despair comes hope - pt2

"Help me, please. Help me." The voice was barely audible, dry and weak.

Zane thought back to the other rooms, did they all hold this horror? Without anymore hesitation Zane worked quickly, untying the ropes and letting the women slump into his arms. He said nothing. Zane refrained from speaking as much as possible. It was another identifier, something that could be traced back to him. Still his actions appeared to be enough.

"The others we must free them, please I can stand, you must save them." She spoke stronger this time as if releasing her shackles had released some kind of beaten strength. He nodded leaving her and moving into each room. He found all the remaining five rooms were full. Some containing two people, some only one. At some point the women from the first room had joined, ushering people into the passageway. Helping those who couldn't stand on their own. Some had been here a lot longer than her, they were skeletal, barely human.

Zane stood amongst seven other people now. The relief of being free quickly washed over the group, there was no time to relax. The women seemed to realise this to, quickly composing herself and taking charge.

"We must not waste this, we need to leave, now. Stand, there will be time for rest once we are truly free." She spoke softly but with authority, turning toward him as she finished. She didn't know the way out, although it should have been fairly obvious. Zane raised his arm, pointing in the direction of stairwell.

"A window, turn right, then left. You can leave towards the back once you are outside." Zane spoke, his words muffled by his mask. Another reason he prefered to be wearing it at all times. She nodded and quickly began to usher people towards the exit. He watched her go first, leading the people out of the basement prison. For some reason he stayed back, waiting until the last person fled up the stairs before following. Why had he stayed so long, why had he cared? He had never done anything like this before, helped people without reward. Then again he realised that he hadn't found people chained the wall in a basement before either.

Before reaching the top of the stairwell he found himself frozen to the spot, again. This time it was screams. Followed by the sound of drums. Mamba had returned. His heart sank. Zane burst into the hallway, his eyes quickly assessing the situation. Thankfully mamba had not yet returned to the house. There was however another problem. Two slithers stood, wiggling and hissing in the large living room. One of the prison had fallen, dead to his right. The women clutched her right arm which was now the same colour as his mask. She looked at him and something inside raged.

Without thinking he sped forward, surprising everyone including himself. Mid run he planted his foot, using the momentum to launch forward. His kick connected with one of the slithers. Force sending him crashing into window, which shattered which shattered under his weight.

Everything after happened very quickly. The slither he kicked stayed down, to his surprise and the second began to wriggle and hiss frantically. What had he done? In all the jobs he had ran over the years not a single time had he ever engaged with the monsters. It was a rule, any kind of engagement could lead to attention and attention especially from the empire was very bad.

Yet in this one moment he had acted without logic, without thought. What had caused him to break the one rule he had kept for so many years. He realised quickly exactly what it was. He _needed_ to save them, the people he freed. The feeling had been ignited by the look of hope in her eyes, a feeling he still felt now.

"GO!" Zane screamed the words out, still muffled but more frantic. He met her eyes again and this time he saw something else. Gratitude. Pure, unsolicited gratitude. She nodded, tears forming in her eyes before disappearing out the window. Zane felt oddly calm, he had saved them. What came next didn't seem to matter. Only it did. There was only one slither, those odds he liked. The sound of drums pierced the room, closer now.

" _Shit!"_ Zane screamed in his head.

This is why he had rules, one slip and everything came crashing down. There was still time, not much but if he acted quickly there was still a chance. Zane turned his attention back to the slither. It wiggled slower now, a standoff with neither of them making a move. Zane decided that first move would be his.

Normally he would have dashed for the window. This however was not a normal situation, the slither's right arm acted more like a whip, the tail sharp and deadly. It had reach but only at a distance. That meant close combat was his best bet.

The slither reacted quicker than Zane expected. Lashing out with his tail-arm with a crack. Luckily Zane had trained for moments like this and his own speed was enough. Ducking and stepping slightly to the side he felt the snap behind him. The air slapped his face as the tail missed, barely, finishing safely over his shoulder. This was his chance.

He drove his right fist into the slither's chest, gripping it's tail-arm he turned into a hip throw. It hit the floor with a crash. He ran back towards the window, making a point to stamp down hard on the slither as he past. As he went to round the corner the ground disappeared beneath him. He hit the floor hard, pain stung his ankle and the device he sole slid across the floor in front of him. The slither had caught his ankle with his tail-arm. He was screwed. Zane watched as the creature slowly stood, wiggling towards him. He edged back, still struggling to get free from his restraint. The slither moving closing every second, hissing eagerly for his death.

This was it, he would die in this dull living room to the hand of a snake-man. Not exactly the kind of death he was hoping for. He hadn't realised he was still lowly edging backward, his hand found the device, the useless piece of metal that led him here, to his death. Something felt _strange_ about it this time though. It seemed to pulse slightly. Zane could _feel_ something coming from it, nothing physical but more like a strange energy. The empty space seemed to glow red, pulsing. It seemed to call to him, he needed to place his hand on it. Unsure why but just knowing it's what he needed to do.

As he got closer he felt his body warm with energy, power. It felt strong again, stronger that it normally was. What would happen if he actually touched it? His blinkered daze was shattered but the sound of drums, intense now, frantic. The door exploded inward with a BOOM. Dust and splinters rained down. The roar hissed throughout the house. Mamba was home.

"Who dares trespass in my _lair_ , no-none sets foot in my studio!" Zane cringed at the words, the snakelike lingo, each word sounding longer than it should.

As the cloud of dust settled Zane noticed something. His ankle was free, the slither lay crushed by the door. How ironic that the arrival of Mamba would be his salvation. Hesitation left his body, he flipped his hood back up, it had been knocked down by his fall. The device gripped tightly in his hand, the strange energy still filled his body.

As he was about to leave, he found himself staring directly at Captain Mamba-drummer. They looked at each other and oddly he noticed the monster take a step back. Zane didn't wait to find out why, he dashed out the window. Quicker than normal, he sped across the yard and over the wall in seconds. If he had stayed a moment longer her would have heard mamba stammer out his fears.

"Impossible, the device, that mask. King Zeal proclaimed they had been silenced forever. It's not possible. The power rangers are no more!" Mamba found himself slamming his drums in frustration, the chaotic sound waves bringing his lair crashing down around him.

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A/N:

Ohhhh I wonder what exactly Zane just retrieved? Narrowly escaping the situation and saving a few people in the process. The action continues in part 3!

\- End of Part 2 -


	4. Phase 1 - From despair comes hope - pt3

_Later on…._

* * *

Zane finally came to a stop. Slamming the door to his safe house shut behind him. Releasing his breath, it was odd he wasn't even tired. After all that running he had expected to be exhausting, short of breath and aching. Yet he felt none of the three, in fact he felt like he could do another entire lap of his escape. Now though he could feel whatever strange power had surged through him dwindling. Whatever it was would soon be gone.

Zane found himself eager to regain that power, to pull the device out from his pocket and try again. At the same time he feared it. He had seen the device, it was broken, dead. Yet it had seemingly given him _something_. That scared him. So instead he removed the device, placing it on the desk and walked away. Whatever it was his client would have to deal with it.

Zane paused for a moment. Suddenly a new thought crossed his mind. The person who hired him wanted the device, why? Did it have something to do with the strange power it held? If so what did they intend to use it for. Zane wasn't sure he wanted to hand over the device. If he had stolen something powerful, what could happen if he handed it over?

Zane sighed, a part of him knew that these thoughts may be closely tied to how much he wanted to feel that energy again. So he pushed them aside. His client would arrive soon and he would deal with it then.

"It seems you have succeeded red shadow." The voice of his client danced around the room. It had an edge, a roughness. At points it even sounded slightly mechanical. Zane turned to find the cloaked figure turning the device in his hands.

"Did you doubt me, I always deliver you must know that." Zane said. He had found it odd that his client remained hidden. His entirely body hidden underneath a large cloak, his face hidden by a plain mask. It must have been a two way thing one side see through, since from this side it looked completely solid no visible visor or eye holes present.

"In this world there are no guarantees, although I had hoped you would prove me right." The voice said. He now held the device at his side, he appeared to be looking directly at Zane.

"My reward?" Zane made sure to sound stern. He made a mistake letting the device go before he got his payment. To his surprise he watched the figure drop a small bag to floor, it landed with a loud clink before before kicked towards him.

Zane slowly picked up the bag, never taking his eyes of the figure. Trusting the wrong person is only asking for death. Nothing happened, Zane checked the bag and it was full of coins as promised.

"This was never about the device Zane, at least not all about the device." As the words were spoken Zane felt a chill trickle up his spine. How did he know Zane's name? It had been years since he showed his face. Zane immediately jumped back, drawing a dagger hidden up his sleeve. The voice continued to speak.

"Don't be alarmed this was never about harming you either," He began to stroll as he walked.

"This was about something far more important, something could potentially affect the entire world." The voice was serious that much Zane could gather from his tone. He was looking at the device again holding up now like some holy relic. Zane said nothing.

"Do you have any idea what this is Zane?" Hearing his name spoken made him tense. Zane still said nothing.

"No I don't suppose you do. It is a relic of the past. Something that the entire Zodiac empire once feared. Useless to almost everyone except those that are chosen." The voice stopped.

Turning towards Zane pointing the device towards him. It looked exactly as it did the first time he saw it. Dormant, broken. Zane didn't understand a word he was being told, it meant nothing to him and yet it felt _right_. Something about what he was being told made him listen. Zane stood a little straighter and this seemed to prompt his guest to continue.

"This device once belonged to Earth's greatest defence force. A group known as the Power Rangers."

"A chosen few were granted access to powers that elevated them beyond natural human boundaries." The voice spoke, Zane listened.

It sounded insane, a group of humans bestowed powers that allowed them to fight and win against creatures like the Zodiac's? Impossible. Still Zane found himself listening, really listening. Strangely he believed everything he was hearing, it was because of what he had felt. The surge of energy from the device, the power he had granted him. It had _changed_ him.

"They unfortunately failed. The rangers fell and Zeal, his empire rose from the ashes of their defeat." Zane noticed some stiffness from the figure at this point. It didn't last long but it definitely was a subject that affected him greatly.

"I have searched for years, finally I believe the chosen have arrived again." The voice finished. Zane just stared.

Wait, was he speaking about Zane? Did he think Zane was this chosen hero, a power ranger? There was no chance. It was impossible.

"Wait, wait are you telling me I am one these _chosen_ people. That I am some kind of hero destined to save the world?" Zane almost laughed.

"I think you have me very mixed up with someone else, I am not some empowered person and I am certainly not a hero." Zane said.

"Your actions today Zane speak differently. I believe you saved six lives today, ones that would still be suffering without your aid." The figure said in response.

Zane had saved lives today. That much was true. It was also true that he didn't need to save lives, leaving would have achieved everything he needed from his mission. Yet he had stayed, fought even, at the risk of his own life. Still it was one day out of years where he hadn't done such acts.

"One day doesn't make me a hero, I am a man for hire I have done many things a hero would not." Zane said deflating slightly.

"What is it that makes a hero? I have been watching you Zane, longer than you might think."

"Every mission you choose to take never directly caused any harm. You never killed or hurt anyone. Even what you stole affected what jobs you took. Never leaving people worse off than they already were." The figure drew back his arm and launched the device at Zane. He instinctively caught it, his natural reflexes moving on their own.

"There is more though, the power never lies and trust me when I say it doesn't give itself out willingly."

"I would never share this information with someone who didn't have the potential to become exactly what this world needs." The voice sounded calm, serious.

Zane doubted everything he had heard, this guy was obviously insane. Still Zane was interested in his last comment.

"What is it exactly that you think the world needs?" Zane asked, genuinely curious.

"What any struggling situation needs of course, hope." The voice raised his arm again as he finished talking, pointing at the device now in Zane's hands.

Zane looked at his hand, the device pulsing red again just like it had back in Mamba's lair. The pull was strong again. Zane wanted to take hold of it, to accept it and what it had to offer.

"See Zane that is no accident, you have been chosen what you decide to do with that is up to you."

"I cannot direct you only guide you. Take the power Zane, become who you were always meant to be." The voice was clear but quiet.

Zane fully focused on the device in his hand. He knew it was dangerous, that it was risky but he knew exactly what he was going to do the moment the device landed in his hand. Maybe even since he first picked it up back in the lair. So Zane slammed his hand over the pulsing light. His mind exploded with images, like a speeding train they raced by. A strange base, a floating head, a small robot. Five teenages, the device unbroken being handed to them. The power as it transformed them, warriors.

A single soldier in red, wielding a sword. Zane saw images of monsters, not Zodiac but a different threat being defeated. He saw the power passing from person to person. Each new generation leading to the next as they fought with their lives to defend the planet. Then he watched as King Zeal only a shadow in the memory cut down the last red ranger and the world burning around him.

Zane snapped back into reality. No time had passed but it felt like hours to him. The figure stood watching as Zane fell to his knees.

"What the hell was that, what happened to me," Zane asked, he could feel the tears beating at his eyes.

"I can only imagine, from what I understand you saw exactly what I just described to you. Now you know it's the truth."

"You will feel it now, changing you, modifying every molecule in your body. You will know things you didn't before. Like a computer accessing a database." The voice said.

Zane just sat silent. He could feel the change, he was stronger that he could tell. Physically he looked no different. He was still the slender, toned agile looking human he once was but this change was internal, he could feel it inside. The device in his hand was no longer damaged. The slot was filled by an image, not a gold coin like in his flashback. The image was a plague doctor mask. What did that mean? Zane was more confused now than ever.

"I must now take my leave, you have chosen the power now you must decide how you wish to use it. That you must do on your own." The voice trailed off as he turned to leave.

Zane went to protest to plead with him not to go but the figure simple raised his hand.

"This is not the time for questions, I have business to attend. I have faith that you will choose the correct path to walk from here." The figure opened his cloak as he said this, keeping himself hidden but revealing what was held to the inside of cloak. Four more devices. Again the figure turned to leave.

"Wait! Who are you, at least give that?" Zane sounded desperate, it scared him.

"You may call me Zordon, that is all I can tell you for now." Zordon said. Then he left.

Zane stayed on his knees, the power slowly changing his body and was suddenly aware just how quiet it was.

* * *

A/N:

Well. There you have it, what will come of the strange events involving the mystery figure, is he really who he says he is? Part 4 will conclude our opening phase. Stay tuned!

May the power protect you.

* * *

\- end of part 3 -


	5. Phase 1 - From despair comes hope - pt4

_Authors Notes:_

 _So I may have written a little more than I anticipated for this last part. I was considering dropping it all in one bit chunk but instead I have split it into two parts. This roughly concludes the first phase of my FanFiction and I hope you enjoy._

* * *

Zane watched the world outside from inside his hood and through a small slit in the boards covering his windows. It had been two days since _Zordon_ if that was really his name. Left him the crazy device, claimed he was some kind of hero and left him with a strange set of memories.

Something else had been troubling him ever since he touched the relic. Everything had started to feel different. He had only briefly left his safe house for supplies but he noticed his pace was quicker. He could hear and see things that were normally unnoticeable to him. Traversing the rooftops and backstreets were easier, his reflexes and strength exceeding what it had been only two days ago.

Zane sheepishly glanced at the red mask resting on the table. After his antics with the local captain it had been relegated to the desk. What was once his one piece of anonymity had now become his undoing. Mamba had seen his mask before he fled and now the entire area was crawling with slithers searching for him. It was really inconvenient. Zane kicked an empty tin across the open space of the room. The sound echoed through the empty space, the only pieces of furniture were a bed, a desk and the back room for personal sanitary needs. It wasn't much but it was home, that was something in this god forsaken world.

"Damn it I need to get out of here, this place is driving me mad." Zane mumbled the words even though no-one could hear him. A quick look through his boarded window was enough.

" _Looks calm enough, let's see if anything interesting is going on."_ Zane pulled his scarf, brown and worn, up to cover his mouth and nose. Pulling the steampunk style goggles over his eyes. The hood combined with the scarf and goggles were enough peace of mind that he could stay hidden and off the radar. Zane slipped the red mask under his jacket. It may be a clear target but it had a reputation, not just with the Zodiac empire but in the underworld. It may still come in handy if he got into any trouble.

Zane fell into a familiar pattern. Heading towards his usual haunts. The area wasn't particularly large, the old houses looking ancient. Everything was run down, including the people. Things were getting worse, the work was hard and the reward tiny. They lived in stench and filth. One look in the eyes of anyone in the street and you would be greeted with cold, lifeless corpses.

The air smelt funky. Like it was burning. Zane could see smoke floating above the chimneys. Damn Zodiac empire was tearing this place apart. This was all his fault. Zordan had said he was some fabled hero. What hero left this kind of destruction in his wake.

He was about to leave, return home and plan his escape from this sector before he was rudely barged into.

Hey! Watch where you're going! Can't you see we're walking here! A gruff voice growled at him. Zane just looked at them. Three thug like men, faces rough and plastered with scars. Mine workers. The men's faces tightened at his silence, apparently it offended them.

"Wait a minute, that mask, you're the guy. The one the slithers are searching for!" Zane looked down at his jack, knocked open, red mask poking out. _Crap._ The largest of the three moved to grab him, probably to cash in on whatever reward was being offered for his head.

Zane sidestepped, grasping the man by the arm and launched him. A small crowd watched as the large man sailed through the air, crashing into the building with a loud _**thud**_ _._ Zane stood in the middle of the road, the house was some distance from where he threw him. The noise rose as murmurs and talk started. The two guys just stared open mouthed before screaming his name, The Red Shadow. Zane ran.

His new found speed surprising his body as the air cut and flowed past him. They were coming, he could hear them, deranged hissing and shuffling as slithers in the area converged towards the commotion. He rounded another corner, this was his expertise. The city was a playground, there was no way they could catch him. Zane let a small smile form under his scarf before again rounding a corner. Straight into a square filled with slithers. Zane stood frozen, two dozen maybe more. That wasn't the worst of it, he fell to a knee as the first sound of drums vibrated across the open town square. Captain Mamba-drummer stood at the center of the small slither army.

Still kneeling, Zane looked down slipping his mask out from his pocket. Removing the goggles and scarf discarding them to one side he made a show of place the mask over his face before slowly standing to face his enemies.

" _Damn it, ever since taking that job I have been cursed."_ Zane weighed his options. Running would do no good. The rest of the slithers would be surrounding him by now. Could he surrender? No. They would show him little mercy, being chained to the wall in the basement would be a dream.

" _Shit! That leaves only one thing. If this is my fate then I will go down swinging."_ Zane let his hand slide inside his sleeves. He didn't fight often, avoided it as much as possible. However that didn't mean he couldn't defend himself.

"Puny human! Take off that ridiculous mask. It's not fooling anyone. Give back what's mine and I may be mercyful, a quick death and all that jazz." Mamba sounded like a snake trying to sing, a mix of hissing and harmony. Zane wouldn't give any of them the satisfaction.

A quick twist of his wrists and two daggers fell comfortably into each hand. Zane flung the daggers with lightning speed, again his new found abilities surprising him. The extra force from his untrained strength meant that the daggers lifted two slithers off their feet. They collided with a line behind them, crumbling dead on the ground.

"Bring me his head!" Mamba hissed loudly, beginning a slow rhythmic beat on his drums. All hell broke loose as the slithers went into a frenzy.

Zane danced amongst a sea of snakes. The new powers had given him a certain grace, increasing all of his skills tenfold. Everything felt easier, his reactions to attacks, his senses. Even his execution of moves seemed more flawless with his new speed and strength. Slithers collapsed around him, punches and kicks sending them in all directions. Zane leaped in a flip over the head of another two, pulling more daggers from inside his jacket and cutting them down before he landed. Another round house kick, another slither down. The onlookers watched in awe. It must of been quite a sight, one man slowly taking down an entire platoon of slithers.

As Zane fought the more confident he became. Each punch grew more controlled, each move more precise. Another wave of slithers collapsed on him. Quickly dodging the flurry of attacks he grabbed one by the arm, dropping to his back and monkey flipping it over his head into another slither behind him. Within seconds he had flipped himself back up, ducked and landed a punch square in the chest of another.

" _This is easier than I expected. I may even survive this."_ As if reacting to Zane's thoughts there was a loud _**BOOM!**_ Turning to late a massive sound-wave sent him flying. He wasn't sure how far he travelled, only the pain kept him conscious enough to let fear creep back in. Eyes ringing, head pounding, he tried to stand. Only to met by a second wave knocking him back down.

"Grab that mouse, bring him to me!" The words were muffled, Zane could barely make them out between the screaming and ringing. There was a distinct sound of drums, a constant thump. These drums were only in his head, a consistent beat against what he assumed was his skull. Two tail-arms wrapped around him, dragging his limp form through the dirt. How did he ever think he could win? The monsters were far too strong, even with inhuman abilities.

"Now mouse, where is my device, tell me before I make music with your bones!" Zane realised in that moment, to his horror, that is exactly what Mamba intended to do. Bones of all shapes and sizes decorated his drums. The sticks themselves bones of some kind. That was his fate, to become some deceased decoration for a snake monster. Zane sat silently in defeat awaiting whatever fate was in store for him.

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\- End of part 4 -


	6. Phase 1 - From despair comes hope - pt5

Author's Note:

This is the final part of Phase 1! I shall be writing multiple parts in one go (Based on how I have written this FanFic so far) So the next update my be further apart than previously. I had the first 3pt parts written (in One big chunk) before I uploaded this initially. So stay tuned and may the power be with you fellow Rangers!

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Mamba smacked him across the face with his bone-stick. The slithers didn't let him fall, he could feel the warmth in his mouth. Zane spat at Mamba's feet. May as well be defiant till the end. The stick rose again, Zane braced for the pain. Instead two small explosions, followed by smoke distracted his enemies. The tail's holding him in place loosened as Zane heard the two slithers drop to the floor either side of him. A second wind took hold, Zane rolled backwards, using the momentum to stand. Leaping back he raised his guard once more.

As the smoke cleared, Mamba looked furious. Stamping his feet around like a child having a tantrum. Two knives had dropped the slithers, following where he thought there trajectory originated. Zordan sat, legs dangling on the edge of roof. Zane watched him point to his head, heart then hold his hand out in front of him.

" _Where had he seen that type of pose before?"_ Then the memories hit him. The original Zordan, the face in the tube. He had spoke of the devices their potential and their use. Zane then realised the drum was still pounding, only now he could tell it was more of a thrumming. The device was in his pocket, it was vibrating with power. All suddenly became clear, knowing exactly what to do. Zordon was right, hope was missing from everyone. That's what their eyes said. Now though he realised, that look had never been in his eyes, his own eyes had always held hope.

Zane held the device forward, it glowed red. The symbol of the plague doctor changed, the mask being replaced by the bat. It seemed the morphin grid still used a source to direct its power through. A hunter in the night, seemed rather fitting. The words formed in his mouth almost against his will. They came naturally like breathing, as if he had always known them.

"It's Morphin time." Zane saw Mamba stumble back in shock. Actually dropping his sticks in the process.

Zane was enveloped by a strange light. Around him he could see strange lines, green in colour, like a spiderweb. A light burst into life before him. It was red, power overflowing. Again it pulled him, willing him to come closer. Without hesitation he reached forward, planting his open fist into the light. It reacted in glorious fashion. The light shifted and swirled, forming a flying creature, a large bat. It had no detail, made only of pure energy. Zane watched it swoop round heading straight for him.

The collision threw him backwards, into the air. As he flipped over the energy formed over his body, up to his neck. He landed in a crouch, then his mask fell free, his face briefly on show before the light engulfed his head. A helmet formed. A visor sat across his eyes, the rest was completely red. The bat form showed itself with small slicked back ear shapes on either side of his head, small fang like shapes resting slightly over the visor from the top and bottom.

Zane stood, the material felt soft and flexible yet looked strong and tough. Over his chest a piece of body armour that slightly resembled his jacket sat. Sleeveless and gold trimmed where the edges off an undone jacket would usually have buttons or a zipper. It was closed though, at his belt the device, no coin like in his vision but a flickering hologram of a bat. He was reborn.

"Red Ranger power!" Zane could feel the energy surging around his body. At his wrists he could see familiar mechanisms, the ones he used to hide daggers. Over his shoulder he could feel his hood resting soundly at his back. It felt right, familiar, as if his whole life he was missing a piece of himself, a piece he had now found.

"Impossible! The king himself proclaimed the rangers powers dead! This is a trick, it cannot be so!" The hiss from Mamba sounded panicked, frantic. The tables had turned.

"Believe it snake, it's about time the predator become the prey." Zane stood firm. Mamba screamed an order to attack. Zane no doubt in his mind now charged forward. Taking off into a jump to engage the reorganised army.

Zane had danced before, now he slaughtered. His speed seemed to have increased again, his punches hit harder and his new armour made any hit from the slithers tickle. Add the fact his wrist devices provided him with an almost infinite supply of daggers, now with tinted red handles and a bat symbol engraved into the base of each blade. He felt unstoppable.

Zane let loose a dagger taking a slither out a short distance away, at the same time he dodged and connected with a punch. Following it through with a kick. A new dagger slid into his hand at will and he used both hands now to cut down another two slithers in his path. Zane noticed the defeated slithers dissolved into the ground. Mamba seemed to be really worried now, he scrambled on the spot. Hissing and screaming his anger towards his now powerless foot soldiers. Zane decided to speed up his mission towards Mamba.

"Flying Blade Frenzy!" Zane announced, leaping into the air the two symbols on his wrists, accompanied by the one at his belt glowed. For a moment he seemed to pause in the air, then he swooped past the gathering of slithers below. To the onlookers it would appear he merely flew past, nothing happening. In actual fact during the swoop Zane had unleashed a hailstorm of daggers. A bombardment like a downpour of arrows on a battlefield. The result a field small sparks and hisses as the remaining group of slithers were impaled. There remains disappearing into the earth below.

The final battle was about to begin. Mamba couldn't seem to compose himself. Zane decided to capitalise on that. Touching his belt he flipped his hood up.

"Night hunter, dancing daggers" Zane again announced. He wasn't why, it felt right to call out the power as he accessed it. The hood seemed to activate that power. Immediately the world changed, it become tinted. Mamba looked around frantically, the crowd gasped in shock. Invisibility, how useful this would have been during the last few years of his life. ZAne dashed forward, two daggers glowing in his hand. Mamba never saw him coming, his first strike connected through his stomach. The second down his back in one fluid motion. The creature seemed to spark, small explosions occurring with each connection of his blade. Zane connected with multiple following strikes, ensuring to shift his position encircling Zodiac captain.

In a panic Mamba let loose on his drums. Sending a shockwave in all directions. It threw him back, shattering his invisibility and throwing the watching crowd to the floor in the process. Zane simply used the force to turn himself in the air landing on his feet a short distance away. Zane instantly sent two daggers flying, glowing with energy. They connected exploding on impact taking Mamba off his feet. Zane watched as the beast he once feared struggled to stand, smoke rising off it's body from the wounds he had inflicted. Mamba reached for his sticks. Zane let loose a dagger, exploding on Mamba's wrist stopping him reaching his weapons.

"Ranger," Mamba hissed, struggling to speak. "You think you will fair any better than the previous rangers? Prince Zedd and Princess Moira will not stand for this treachery they will come and you will be destroyed!" The words screeched out.

Zane thought for a moment. The Prince and Princess, left to rule in King Zeals place. They would certainly come for him now. That is exactly what he wanted. This power had certainly given him hope, he hoped he could now make a stand. Alone if needed he would take the fight to the empire. It would crumble at his feet.

"Let them come. I look forward to meeting them. Unfortunately monster you won't be here to see it." Zane proclaimed his final move. The power whispered, guiding him. Two daggers graced his palms. He crossed them over his belt, which glowed in response.

"Red Ranger power, night hunter blades!" The two daggers transformed, two smallish swords now. Each had a crimson handle the blade curving slightly at the top. Zane again dashed forward. Leaping into the air, his blades glowed with energy as he crossed them over his chest. In mid air he swung them outward, his shadow below appearing as if he had wings.

In a rush of speed he shot forward cutting through the now standing Mamba in an _**X**_ shaped slash. Zane stood swinging his blades behind his back, again in an crossed over position. Mamba collapsed in a fiery explosion, his body gone in an instant. Zane had won.

The crowd filled quickly with murmurs and whispers. They stood unsure of what to do, of what had happened. Hell even Zane didn't really know what had just happened. Had he really just defeated a member of the Zodiac Empire? Zane stared at the smoking patch of dirt at his feet.

He looked to where Zordan had sat but found nothing. Unsure of what to do next Zane simple scanned the crowd. They were all looking at him. Something was different, there was a changed in them. There eyes all looked towards him not filled with _despair_ or lifeless. Instead something new burned, hidden deeply but still noticeable.

That new fire was hope.

That is what he had given them. In his actions, in defeating the local Captain. Suddenly the power left him. The power suit vanished is a soft glow and he was left standing back in usual clothes, hood down, mask on. Zane disappeared down a nearby street away from prying eyes. The was an odd silence. Zane realised it was because there was no hissing, at all. Apparently the defeat of Mamba had meant the defeat of the area's slither population.

" _No turning back now,"_ Zane let himself relax slightly. " _This is only the beginning I have started something here, there is no running now."_ That was fine by him. There was an odd comfort in the whole situation. No longer was he just moving from day to day. Getting by, surviving.

Finally in all the despair he had lived in his whole life. Finally he let was able to let himself hope, even if that hope had only just been ignited.

* * *

A/N:

There you have it! Our first Ranger, Zane - The Red Ranger - Bat. I actually changed my mind during writing this. Originally I had intended to have the rangers be slightly different using powers related specifically to themselves. (The Plague Doctor theme for Zane) I may still use that Power I had a nifty look where the eye holes and beak from the doctor mask appeared and that was some special mode. I may reintroduced this later on but for now I felt more comfortable going down a more traditional route. With the Zodiacs all being themed on animals as well.

Stay tuned for Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn?

May the power protect you fellow rangers.

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\- End of Phase 1 -


	7. Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - pt1

Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - Part 1

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Authors Note:

Let phase 2 begin! From now on I will also be throwing in some interlude stuff that involves the villains of this story. The Generals, Prince Zedd and Princess Moira so on and so forth! Been awhile but I have a couple of parts written. Hopefully can slowly get more consistent going forward.

May the power protect you, readers.

* * *

A roar erupted as the sounds of metal clinked together, spilling more of the slosh that passed for alcohol than was entirely necessary. Zoe, or as she was known everywhere except home, Sapphire sat with her select group of two eyes bubbling with anger.

"What a waste of perfectly good drivel, it may taste like piss but that doesn't mean they should just throw it all over the floor like pigs piss," Sapphire mumbled as she took a sip of her own luxury brew of piss.

"Who who don't appreciate a brew at The Canine Door really is the lowest of the low, am' I right Dozer?" Mouse slurred his words as he spoke, the brew had been flowing freely tonight.

Dozer just raised his glass promptly downing the remainder of his cup before slamming it dramatically down on the table. They were two of the strangest men Sapphire had met in the slums of dog yard. Mouse was short, skinny and had very little hair. The hair was by choice. Handy enough in a fight but not particularly strong, or skilled when it came down to it. In simple trousers and a scruffy t-shirt. Mouse had skills in other departments that made him a highly sort after. The man was silent, scarily so. He could travel almost anywhere without making a single sound, add that to his size and he was a remarkable scout or thief. It's where he had got his street name.

Dozer, however, was the complete opposite. Standing six foot tall at least, muscles chiselled into his body. The man looked like he was made of stone. He let his arms show a brown tank top resting between his shoulders. Slicked back hair black hair and bright sea-coloured eyes. The ladies loved him. Sapphire hadn't actually laid with either of the two men but she imagined Dozer would fit his name in the bedroom.

A man stumbled drunkenly against their table, knocking mouses drink over in the process. The stale liquid barely moved as it slid across the table, dripping into a puddle on the floor.

"Excuse me, good sir, I believe you owe my friend here an apology," Sapphire calmly addressed the man. She watched as he attempted to turn. Mouse sat with his head resting against his hand and Dozer signalled the keep for another round of drinks with a smile spread across his face.

"Shut it wench before I bend ye over and make ye lick it off the floor while I take ya like the dog ye are!" At least that's what she could deduce he said in between slurs and his eastern dog yard lingo.

The whole pub went quiet.

Sapphire stood, leaning forward making sure her assets were pressed together. Her small top held tightly to her chest stopping barely halfway down her stomach. Short jean shorts hugged her curves tightly leaving nothing to the imagination. Briefly, the man wavered on the spot, his eyes tracing her body or trying to.

Letting the moment hold briefly. She didn't mind a prying eye or two after all. The silence in the room was deafening. One that was shattered as she grasped the man by the end and bounced his head off the table. As momentum carried him back up she caught him across the face with a right hook. Sending the man crashing down into the puddle of the brew. The silence returned. Sapphire calmly returned to her seat, raising the tanker above her head. Dozer and Mouse followed raising their own, clashes them together gently before throwing their heads back and promptly downing the entire thing. As each of their tankers smacked the table the place erupted back into noise.

"Damn drunk ass fool couldn't even see who he was talking to." Mouse slurred out as he once again rested his head heavily against the palm of his hand.

"Damn fool," Dozer grumbled out.

"Time to leave boys, too much of this stuff will rot your brain," Sapphire said, as she stood and shuffled her way around the table. Making sure to step on the unconscious man at her feet.

Sapphire noticed as usual people giving her slight nods of respect as she passed. She had never asked to be treated like she was special, there was enough of that to go around at home. Yet her actions in the slums had earned her a status among the rabble. Sapphire just kind of went along for the ride. She made sure to give an emphatic salute to the owner, who gave a slight bow of his own in reply, before slapping open the inn's door.

The cool air stung her skin, a sharp contrast to the sweaty warmth inside. It was an unpleasant night. Something in the air. When she felt the presence of her companions behind she stepped out into the night.

This area of the dog sector was very different to other sectors she had heard about. Here there was a thriving nightlife, lights bombarded the slightly crowded street. The damn mutts that should be keeping people subdued, lifeless, had lost slight control over the past few months. Events which she had absolutely nothing to do with of course.

Raids and attacks on patrols and dens had left the local captain hiding away somewhere unknown. Sending regular attack parties to try and reclaim what had been lost. Sapphire had made it a personal mission to never let that happen. Her other life was that of nobility or at least what passed as nobility in the new world run by the zodiac empire.

Zoe, daughter of Nathaniel, formally Nathan. One of the five first men to make a deal with the Zodiacs in order to obtain status and power. A life she hated with every fibre of her being. At home, she was a pampered princess. Here in the slums, she was just like everyone else, a regular hard working girl who every now and then kicked a mutt up the ass. Apparently a pastime she would have to achieve tonight. As if thinking their name summoned their wrath, the sounds of maniacal howling filled the air. Hounds they were called. The expendable waste General Huskan called soldiers. Lead in this area by the even more terrifying Captain Chiwarrri. Despite his size and relation to the most feeble looking dog in existence, he was definitely a hundred times more dangerous.

Sapphire watched with a burning fury as the hounds plodded along, their upper bodies furry topped with slobbering sheepdog like heads. The lower half looked human enough but muscled. They almost shuffled along as they moved, their mouths open panting. Disgusting.

Sapphire made a signal with her hand and her two friends slinked off behind her. It was their unlucky night. Bringing her fingers up she let out a high whistle, the hounds erratically twisted and turned on the spot looking for the source before resting on her with a stare, heads tilted slightly to one side.

"Here boys, come and get some of this juicy meat," She spoke slowly, her hand tracing the curves of her body.

The hounds tore into a run, dropping down on all fours. There was six of them, not nearly enough to cause them any problems they had dealt with double this amount on a regular basis. They split into two lines, three in front, three in back. They closed in but Sapphire waited. As they neared she waved another signal, a large silhouette steamrolled into the front line. The momentum carried the first into the second, second into third.

The backline staggered it's formation slightly to avoid tripping on the fallen hounds but soon reformed. A second signal and another silhouette dropped from above, followed by a whoosh sound. A large net collapsed over the remaining hounds, Mouse fell into place next to her the small device in hand. His face wore a massive grin, his hand hovering over a button. She nodded and he pressed it. Electricity crackled through the net, the hounds caught meeting a very shocking end.

This was their battlefield, they knew the streets, the buildings with expert precision. It was home turf. Dozer had recovered from his car crash with the front line and was locked in a test of strength match with one of the hounds.

They may have been monsters but all hounds had going for them was their hideous looks and brute strength. Dozer matched them easily in that department. Sapphire rushed forward, followed by Mouse. She reached the fight just in time, catching another hound by the arm in mid-swing. She leapt, rolling forward onto her back. Using the momentum she pulled, then flipped the hound over her head. It landed with a howl. A crowd cheered drunkenly spectating the familiar sight of Sapphire and her men fighting the monsters they once feared.

Mouse had jumped on the back of the third hound, gripping it tight in a sleeper hold. Sapphire wasn't sure these things even breathed. She dashed forward, pulling a knife out and slammed it straight into the monster's chest. It would have cried out but Mouse didn't give it the chance, he dropped landing into a sweeping kick. In one fluid motion, he swept, stood, withdrew the knife from its chest and promptly replaced it, only this time it was square between the hound's eyes. They watched as it promptly turned to dust and disappeared with the slight breeze that tickled their skin in the night's air.

Sapphire turned just in time to see Dozer lift his hound entirely in the air, slamming it down hard before he pounded its head hard enough to finish it off. That man still scares me. Sapphire turned towards the last victim. Mouse and Dozer positioned themselves so they were in a triangle formation. To its credit, the hound actually looked panicked. They wasted no time in finishing the last one off. Dozer grabbed it, Mouse laughed at the sky and Sapphire planted another dagger in its head.

The crowd cheered, brew flying into the air as they were greeted with the expected celebration. She patted the dust off her clothes with a smile. It was getting easier to handle the hounds. Dozer scratched the back of his head in embarrassment at the crowd's cheers. Big, scary and tough but throw him a little attention and he crumbles like a little kid. Sapphire admired that about him.

Then something chilled her. At first, she couldn't tell what it was and then it hit her.

The crowd was suddenly deathly silent.

Their gaze fell slightly behind her. That wasn't all, pure terror had flooded their faces. Sapphire slowly turned to where their gazes fell. Sweat building as her body tensed ready to greet whatever terror had chilled the entire streets joyous chant. She found herself looking at, well nothing. The emptiness puzzled her, had they been playing a trick on her?

The ground shook at her feet, literally. That was followed by a wheezy snigger that sounded like the mixture of laughter and a motorbike engine. Her body chilled again as the sudden realization hit her. She lowered her gaze, which was met with a forceful blow to the stomach. All the wind was knocked out of her, her body was thrown through the air like a rag doll as she was sent flailing towards the crowd of terrified onlookers.

* * *

End of Part 1


	8. Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - pt2

Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - Part 2

* * *

She landed hard, her body shook with pain. She managed to stain into a kneeling position. The warm trickle of blood appearing on her chin. Sapphire could see Dozer to her right, slightly ahead of her. Frantically he scanned the area for Mouse, he had been behind her and that meant he was in the most danger. He eyes stopped on the creature that had sent her flying. Captain Chiwarri, the designated leader of this area.

Sapphire had never seen the creature in person before. He was tiny, not much bigger than a puppy. His face resembled a chihuahua, tongue out slapped against his cheek. He had what looked like a racing jacket on with black glasses to accompany the look. On the side of his feet, it appeared there were two wheels attached. The rumours were true however, he was powerful. That punch nearly split her in two.

The thing that scared, however, was the motionless body of her friend lying just centimetres behind the foul creature. She could feel that burning rage building again only this time it had a friend, fear. She knew they didn't stand a chance against Chiwarri. A Zodiac captain was far too strong for the normal human.

"What's the matter human lost all of that courage in the face of superior greatness?" Chiwarri spoke with a high pitched purr. Shaking on the spot like was suddenly really cold.

Sapphire said nothing. What could she say? They had been poking the bear for months was it really a surprise it had woken up and taken a big bite back at them. Dozer stood frozen as well, occasionally glancing her way seeing if she was planning to make a move. She couldn't, they would both be cut down instantly. Instead, Chiwarri spoke again, the high pitched purr chilling her once again.

"Well, unlike the snakes, I know how to handle problems like you. Drown you before you have a chance to become dangerous." Snakes? Had something happened in the Snake sector? Sapphire had heard rumours about a small uprising but she had thought it was all tall tales. Maybe it held some truth. She didn't have time to worry about it now.

"So human they often say to bring down a group like you it's best to cut the head off the snake," He paused to shake again, apparently that trait wasn't taken out from his chihuahua ancestor.

"However I prefer a different approach, drowning you by making an example of everyone around you and watching you suffer from that consequence," She rose quickly, the pain shooting up her right arm in response. That was possibly broken, add that to the bruised ribs and she wasn't slamming any drunk pervs on a table anytime soon. A laugh like a deranged child filled the air. Sapphire watched or tried to, as Chiwarri moved forward in a blur. Her eyes lagged behind but when they caught up her knees almost gave way. Dozer fell to a knee, a pool of blood forming as Chiwarri pulled back again. The first strike seemed to have targeted his leg, the second went straight through his upper body.

Dozen couldn't even utter a scream. Sapphire hobbled as fast as she could, dropping down and cradling Dozer's head with her good arm. He smiled at her but she could almost see the life leaving his eyes.

"He may live, he may die. Either way, this was due to your actions human" The purr was calm, casual. Like he hadn't just put his hand right through my friend's chest. The anger boiled over, Sapphire blindly let out an angry battle cry. All sense had left her, she turned to unleash all of hell's fury on Chiwarri. Only to be met with utter failure. The little monster had dashed up, grabbing and twisting her arm behind her back. There was no restraint shown and her arm broke with a sharp crack. She was shoved hard to the floor. She whimpered in a pool of her friend's blood as a tiny shadow cackled down at her.

"As for your other friend he will stay with me now, another deterrent to any further disturbances you may think about causing," Sapphire heard Chiwarri speak but she was broken. Defeated. She heard him shuffle away, Mouse being dragged by two hounds at Chiwarri's heels.

Then they were gone.

Two people slowly drifted over, lifting Dozer up. She briefly caught there gaze and understood. They would do their best to save him. Sapphire watched them go, taking the large shell of a man towards the shabby medical facilities this slum had. His chances were slim.

In a daze, she walked. Nowhere, in particular, had entered her mind but she simply walked. Going home like this was out of the question. Father would be furious and her days of being Sapphire would end. Hadn't they already though? Wouldn't everyone be better off if she became Zoe again? Leaving Sapphire and this world behind. She wasn't sure if she could pull off being a frilly little angel anymore. Not after tonight. The rain tapped the floor in a light rhythm. When had it started to rain? Judging by her clothes some time ago. It was a blur.

"You know, defeat doesn't suit you Zoe," Zoe her actual name. Someone knew who she really was. Normally her reaction to this would have been fast, sharp. This time however her body sluggishly turned towards the sound of the voice.

At the end of the alley, because that is apparently where her feet had taken her. Some random alley in the middle of nowhere, outside while the rain fell from the sky. A cloaked figure stood tall, confident. This was a person who commanded authority.

She wanted to ask who they were, what they wanted, how did they know who she was? Instead, she didn't have the strength to even move her mouth. Luckily the stranger answered her silent question.

"You may call me Zordan, I have a proposition for you." The words sounded calm, slightly robotic. It was hard to focus, all her strength was being used just to stand up.

"One that after tonight I am sure will sound even more appealing. I have been watching you, Zoe, I believe you have potential to change the world." The man was mad. Either that or she had snapped. Driven insane by the events she had witnessed.

Dozer's blood still stained her hands and clothes. The stranger stood silently waiting for a reply that she didn't have the strength to give. The energy to even try. Instead, her vision sparkled with light, pain slapped her head before the world twisted around. As she fell the stranger moved toward her and then everything was suddenly covered in blissful darkness.

* * *

End of part 2 - The next part will be a shorter interlude to try and introduce some of the evil creatures in this story! Enjoy.


	9. Interlude - Prince Zedd & Princess Moira

Authors note:

These interludes will probably be pretty small. Just short snippets of reactions/interactions happening on both sides.

* * *

At the centre of a large room, in a throne fit for a king, sat Prince Zedd. Ever since his father had left to conquer worlds across the galaxy Zedd had been the ruler of Earth. Something that had been an easy task after the state King Zeal had left it in.

"Oh, brother dear! Have you heard?" The excitable voice startled him from his mindless thoughts. Princess Moira, his infuriating little sister.

"Moira. What is it this time, your pet made a mess of the royal carpet with his blood again?" Zedd often wondered how they were even related. She was silver-skinned, hair tipped with what looked like arrowheads that fell to her shoulders. A red-tinted visor covered her eyes. Her clothing wasn't exactly considered royal. A tight full bodied suit, with a long cape. The only thing resembling armour was the chest piece that once belonged to a former Power Ranger. At its centre, the Zodiac crest now sat instead.

"No, no silly Zeddy. This is much more fun than that." Moira responded with a giggle. He, however, looked more like one of his ancestors. A former space villain that had failed to conquer Earth. Lord Zedd.

His appearance was similar, red skinned with a layer of silver metal over the top where the bones of a body might reside. Making it look like his skeleton was actually on top of a skinless mass of muscle. It was his head that had its differences, unlike his father and sister, and the original Zedd. His face had no visor. Instead, a pair of eyes, human-like sat. There was still the grill like mouthpiece that framed his face, ending each side of his and then curving inward finishing with a small single horn-like shape. At his father's insistence, however, he wore a mask that covered his eyes in a red visor, a half helmet really that also placed a small crown neatly around the tendril-like hair that fell slick back to the top of his neck. Another difference between him and his ancestor, you couldn't see his brain.

"Well? Do tell then Moira, that smile on your face makes you look rather hideous." Moira stamped her foot, as she often did toward his comments.

"How dare you Zeddy! I could never be hideous!" Zedd merely lent on his hand, bored. He rolled his fingers on the arm of his throne. Infuriating women! Zedd's patience was beginning to wear thin.

"Fine, fine you're no fun," Moira skipped over, lightly tapping his arm out the way so she could perch on the edge of the throne.

"I heard some rumours filtering up from the Snake sector, rumours that someone wearing red armour has slain a local Captain and taken back control of the area!" Zedd was on his feet instantly his voice turning from a dull gruff tone to a raging bull in an instant.

"WHAT! A monster, slain by a human and you are only telling me this now? Zedd slammed his fist hard against the chair, sending small sparks of electricity dancing in the air. Moira casually leaned back, producing another annoying giggle.

"Calm down brother, they are mere rumours and even if there is truth behind it a single fleshling couldn't kill one of us. It's impossible." Zedd growled towards Moira before turning and marching towards the lone window overlooking his empire.

"What is the snake general doing about this rumour?" If what she said was true, a man in a red suit of armour had taken down a captain. Red Armour, that sounds a lot like. Zedd cut his own thoughts short. Zeal had ended them decades ago, it couldn't be them.

"You know what snakes are like Zeddy, not one for big loud actions. I am sure they are slithering around finding the source." Moira just waved off the issue like it was nothing.

"I would like you to go personally and see Lord Anathon, see to it that he deals with it quickly. This has potential to fuel the rabble who believe they can rebel against us,"

"Me? Go personally, to that pit of slithering snakes?" Zedd just stared silently at his sister. She just stomped her foot again and left in a huff, mumbling something Zedd didn't care about.

Staring down at the world below, Zedd began to wonder if they had returned. The only time he had seen them was as a princeling at his father's side. They were fabled as legendary warriors that had defeated the forces of darkness for centuries. A force that had failed when Zeal invaded Earth.

If they were really emerging after all these years as he had prepared for then things were about to get interesting. The forces of good never stayed quiet for long. If he had a mouth Zedd would have been smiling at the thought.

"Let the games begin, Power Rangers."


	10. Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - pt3

_Author Note:_

 _Been awhile but I have finally written an update! Won't waffle for to long so enjoy as Zoe's story expands!_

* * *

 _Zoe sat on a bench circled by a forest of flowers. The sound of commotion filtered out from inside her home. There was a party going on, her father was the most gracious host among the elite of the zodiac empires human government._

 _Zoe hated her father's parties. Everything about her life felt fake, wrong like it was all a lie. When the world fell, her world had risen. Her father's deal with Emperor Zeal had rocketed their lifestyles into luxury. Yet they had become the worst kind of slaves._

 _Zoe knew that where she sat now wasn't actually real, it was a dream. She was sixteen again, this was the day she made the decision that would define the next five years of her life. The day the only person she thought could trust with anything had betrayed her._

 _The screams began and yet Zoe sat silently._

 _She knew how this played out, the dream had plagued her for many years. The doors to the backyard burst open, her father stumbled out falling down the stairs leading to where Zoe sat. She rose, turning towards the entrance knowing exactly who she would see. Manta._

 _Manta stared back at her, her green bug-like skin highlighted in the moonlight. Her servant robes discarded, her yellow eyes piercing the night. Zoe watched as Manta her Scythe like blade extended over her right-hand march down the steps towards her father._

 _He lay bleeding at Zoe's feet, his whimpers begging her to help him. Manta eyes deathly cold, not the warm yellow glow that had enabled her to survive the last eight years in isolation. Zoe watched Manta raise her blade, she watched unable to move, to scream as the blade fell towards her father. Then in a sudden burst, her scream tore through the night._

Zoe woke up sweating and out of breath. She shot up in panic and was met with a sudden burst of pain, everywhere. Recoiling back she felt her body rest on the bed she obviously laid on.

Where was she? Zoe didn't recognise the room she was in. It looked pretty run down, windows boarded up, cracked walls and in need of serious paint job. What was the last thing she remembered? It only took her a moment before the memories of the fight flooded there way back.

Dozer was hurt, possibly dead and Mouse had been taken by Chiwarri and it was all her fault. Zoe felt her cheeks warm with tears. How could she have been so stupid, no human could take on Chiwarri and now the only people she cared about had been taken from her.

"Never thought Sapphire would be sat crying while her friends lay wounded and captured." A voice spoke, startling her. Pain shot up her spine again and she winced. The mystery figure didn't move in response, just simply stayed leaning against the door frame under a hood.

"Your the one from the alley, who are you, where am I?" Zoe realised she was talking slower, the pain causing her words to come out in short delays. Chiwarri had done more damage than she thought.

"So many questions, I thought you thrived on the mysterious unknown, in danger?" Zoe clenched her fist at the response.

"Don't act like you know me, you don't." Zoe spat back.

"Oh, I may not know you personally but I do know all about you, Zoe." At the words, she tensed. That's right in the alley the figure had said her name. They had also said their own. Zordon.

"How do you know my real name, just who are you Zordon?" Zoe felt no danger from him. She had always been a good judge of character.

"I could be your salvation if you choose it. Possibly even your friend's salvation depends on the speed of your decision." This caught her attention, a way to save Dozer and Mouse? Surely whatever it was Zordan had to offer was worth it. Then Chiwarri's words echoed in her mind. She had been warned about the actions of rebels. Any action she took would only bring Mouse more pain.

"My actions will only cause more suffering, it's time I returned to a place where I can do no more harm. Is Dozer alive?"

"He lives, barely, most would be dead but you raised a fighter. He will be fine I am sure of it." Zoe sighed in relief, Dozer lived. That was enough to ease her pain for now.

"Dozer was always a fighter, that's why we worked so well together."

"Yes, but it was you that awoke the fire that inspired him to stand tall. Now it's time for you to stand tall, you have a new fire to light Zoe one that will burn brighter than any before it." Jordan's words vibrated with power, truth. Whoever he was, he had led before.

"You can see what my last venture to piss off Chiwarri ended, two people barely alive and one captured enduring God knows what horrors."

"No. I can't stand, not again. Only pain awaits." Zoe lowered her gaze. She couldn't like a fire, her own had gone out. She had nothing left.

When she was younger she had tried to go against her father and people had died because of it. She had trusted the wrong person and her family had suffered for it. Now she had led her friends once again into an impossible situation. It was time to go home and be the little princess her father expected her to be.

"Zordon, may I give it a crack?" Zoe went cold. That voice. She knew that voice. It had filled her dreams.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Manta, I mean given your history and all that?" Jordan's words barely registered. Rage was boiling inside her.

"Our history is exactly why I should speak with her, I do know her." Zoe wanted to scream. How dare she walk in here expecting Zoe to just let her talk, let her act like she hadn't tried to assassinate her father. Manta had used her, then thrown her aside to get what she wanted.

"Fine, do as you please. Zoe this choice is yours alone, this device can show you a future beyond what you could imagine."

"I believe it has chosen you but you must also choose it. What you remember from that night may not be what actually happened." Zordan placed a weird mental device on the side table.

Zoe was sure she heard it make some kind of noise. Flash a shade of blue, had it called her name?

Zordan silently left the room. Manta stood in silence, Zoe sat in silence. They had once been like sisters and now seeing her face filled Zoe with disgust.

"Zoe, I.."

"Don't you dare speak to me!" Zoe erupted in anger, cutting Manta off.

"How can you stand there knowing what you did, what you were going to do?" Zoe was out of control. Her rage had been building for years.

"It wasn't like that Zoe, your father has lied to you." Zoe didn't want to hear it.

"Just stop, stop do you deny that you're a rebel then? That you weren't sent undercover to spy on me and my family?" Manta paused before answering.

"I don't deny it. I was sent undercover but it was merely to gather information on the empire, not your family," Manta actually sounded sad.

"Lies. More lies, I saw you that night you tried to kill him, your blade was raised to strike him down!" Zoe screamed the tears were falling from her cheeks again.

"Your memories are confused, my blade wasn't raised to attack my blade was raised in defence. You saved me, Zoe, you saved my life." Zoe didn't want to hear anymore, no more lies.

"NO! Shut up, your a monster leave me alone, I don't want anything to do with you!" Zoe clambered out of bed, stumbling into the side table as she lost balance. That sound was back again, whispers of her name swirled around in her head. She needed to get out, to leave it was too much.

Zoe pushed her way past Manta, running as fast as her body would let her into the hallway and off into the unknown.

"Zoe, wait please stop your hurt!" Manta went to chase after Zoe but a hand on her shoulder caused her to pause.

"Zordon I need to go after her, in her condition she could be in serious danger." Manta let her gaze follow where Zoe had limped off.

"You are correct, with those injuries she won't get far besides she doesn't know the way out. Let her cool off." Zordan spoke softly before glancing back into the room.

"Have a look Manta the force is never wrong, at least not from what I have experienced."

Manta followed Zordan's gaze to where Zoe had been laid up in bed and her eyes fell on the empty space that now occupied the side table.

"She took the morpher, without realising. They are truly connected to the morphing grid then?"

"Yes, the morphing grid has chosen Zoe but that is only part of the process. As I said only she can decide who she truly wants to be. Only then can she truly accept who she is meant to be."

"Can't we help her, she is so troubled, suffered so much pain." Zordan shook his head at Manta's words.

"We can merely guide her, now go, the device will also guide her memories. Once she realises the truth you may be able to repair what you once had." Manta bowed Zordans way.

"Thank you Zordon, may the power be with you."

"May the power be with you." Zordon watched Manta slink off into the poorly lit corridors. He then opened his jacket, revealing three more devices. Two more had already revealed themselves he couldn't stay and find out if Zoe chooses the power. The window was short he if couldn't form the Power Rangers before the morphing grids brief escape faded then this chance may never present itself again.

 _It's all up to you now Manta, guide her now for she may hold the only hope this world has to survive. Zordan let his jacket fall shut and disappeared in a flash of purple lightning._


	11. Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - pt4

_Authors Note:_

 _Part 4 coming fast! Manage to get in the zone pretty quickly for this next part. Hoping its not going to slow (Or too fast!) the early chapters here will involve some pandering as the Rangers figure out who they are and just what exactly is going on. Planning on dropping some interlude stuff next before I begin to round out Phase 2 and Zoe's beginning to this story. Stay tuned!_

 _And may the power protect you._

* * *

Zoe found herself slowly running out of breath, the corridor seemed endless and her injuries were beginning to win the battle against her adrenaline. She decided that anywhere was a good place to stop and found herself sitting down against the wall. Manta had really set her off.

At first, she thought it was because of what happened, what she did eight years ago.

However the more she thought about it, the less she truly believed what her memories told her. What was it Manta said?

"You saved my life," Zoe just couldn't accept that, surely she wouldn't have stood against her father to save Manta? Her head was thrumming, the whispers hadn't stopped and the strange sensation still tugged at her. Like she was being drawn towards something she couldn't quite figure out.

She wanted to hate Manta, to accept what her memories had told her all these years. A fog now swirled around those memories and suddenly everything was far less clear.

"It can't all be a lie, I know what I saw. What I felt, it has haunted my dreams for years." Zoe dropped her head, letting it rest on her hand.

That was when she saw the strange device in her hand. She was holding it tight and now that she noticed it the distinct thrum tickled her palm. Looking at it a blue glow blinked back at her, enticing her in, welcoming her into a strange abyss.

"Zoe are you alright?" Manta's words cut through her trace bringing her mind back to reality.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone?" What the hell was that, why had she felt so absorbed by the device? What even was it. Manta had strolled to the window on the other side of the hallway. It wasn't boarded up like her room was.

"For eight years I have tried to find a way to thank you for what you did for me." Zoe sat in silence, which apparently gave Manta queue to continue speaking.

"You were so lost when I first met you, so wounded. After what happened with the local thug lord you just wanted to sulk and be left alone."

"Do you know what else I saw? Courage and strength. Despite being locked away, being pampered and given everything you still chose to walk into the world. To see what the world was really like." Manta touched something that hung around her neck, turning towards Zoe as she continued to speak.

"I see that same look now, you have been knocked down Zoe you may think you have lost your fire but looking in your eyes I can tell you it burns more fiercely than ever." Zoe thought she would be angry when she heard this but instead, she found herself feeling an entirely different emotion, sadness.

"What do you expect me to do, march into Chiwarris home and force him to give Mouse back?" Zoe clenched her fist.

"I am not strong enough, I have nothing, I am just a privileged girl pretending to be a street dog. All I have is a loud bark." Manta smiled and turned to look out the window again.

"You mistake has always been that you believe you cannot be both." Zoe arched her head in confusion. Manta smiled harder and continued.

"I mean both Zoe and Sapphire. Pampered Privileged and Rabid dog. Afterall a tiger can be both beautiful and deadly." Zoe felt the tears welling up again. She had never cried this much. In fact, she hadn't really cried since the day her friends died all those years ago.

It was Manta who cut the silence again.

"Why did you take the device, Zoe?" Manta said.

Zoe looked at the device still clenched tightly in her hand. She didn't really have an answer.

"I..I don't know, I don't even remember taking it. I feel it thrumming, calling to me, what the hell is it?" Zoe suddenly felt fear. This thing had somehow got her to subconsciously take it without her knowing. That meant she couldn't control it, or herself. That was a scary thought.

"It is called a morpher a device used by an ancient pack to harness the power of the morphing grid. To become a warrior known as a Power Ranger." Zoe's mind imploded. What the hell had she just heard? A mysterious power that allowed someone to become a Power Ranger. Some kind of soldier?

"What the hell? Are you trying to tell me this thing is some kind of weapon? More importantly what the hell does it have to do with me?" Zoe asked.

"It's not a weapon but more like it makes you a weapon. In some sense of the word. Zordan believes, as do I, that the morphing grid has chosen you, Zoe, to become one of the next group of Power Rangers. That you will help save this world."

"WHAT?" Zoe stood, a little too quickly as the pain shot up her spine.

"You think I am destined to wield some strange power to save the planet?" Zoe watched Mantas expression remain unchanged. She was serious. Also crazy apparently.

"You said it yourself you can hear it calling you, feel it's power. That device has laid dormant for over twenty years. The morphing grid has been silent until a few months ago. The very fact you are responding to it shows you are chosen." Mantra spoke calmly and with complete confidence.

"Your crazy, I can't even save the people closest to me and you expect me to save the whole world? Completely insane." Zoe wanted to drop the device, to let it fall and just run away a hide. Like she had always done.

"You have always been a hero Zoe, this is your choice. Don't you think it's about time you finally made a choice?" Manta was sincere in her words.

Zoe looked at the device in her hand she knew now what it wanted it to do. She needed to embrace it, accept it as part of her and it would accept her. Raising her free hand she hovered over the blue glowing light. It burst brighter stinging her palm slightly and in a flash, a wave of memories washed over her.

She saw her father standing with his bodyguards surrounding Manta. Three against one, their pulsing swords poised to strike. Manta stood at the centre her own scythe-like blade raised in defence. She remembered screaming for her father to stop.

To show mercy, he merely said it was for the good of their family.

Without thinking Zoe had jumped between the falling blade and Manta, the weapon slicing into her shoulder leaving a deep wound. Zoe had shoved Manta out the way. Her father had cried out and the guards cowering back in fear of their actions. Allowing Manta to slip out the room and escape.

It was that same night she had adorned the name Sapphire and slipped out of her home to live in the world she did now. Never seeing Manta again. Zoe touched her shoulder where the scar still stained her skin and she was crying again.

She looked at Manta and saw the relief wash over her face. Manta simple placed a hand on her shoulder and stepped back. Zoe was ready to accept her future. Without hesitation, she slammed her palm against the device. Instantly her mind was shocked by a journey showing memories dating back to god knows when.

She saw the Power Rangers defending the world over generations. She watched as they fell to Zeal and the Zodiac Empire and then she saw a hooded figure raising another one of the devices and in a blinding light of red she saw him transform, the last image she saw was a Red Ranger standing tall against a horde of snakes before snapping back into reality.

"What the hell was that!" Zoe stood staring at the device, at its centre a strange symbol now glowed steadily like a hologram coin. It showed what looked like a Ying and yang style logo but one side looked like a flower and the other a beast.

"The power is with you now, it has enhanced you. Changed you, made you stronger than ever before. Can you feel it?" Manta sounded excited, like a child finally that one toy they wanted.

Zoe could feel it, the power thrummed through her whole body. The pain was gone, she felt stronger, faster. Like she could take on the world. That is exactly what she planned to do. First, though there was something she needed to do.

"Where are you going?" Manta asked.

"I'm going to see a dog, I've got a bone or two to pick with him." Zoe finally felt whole. This is what she had been waiting for her whole life. There was a question on her mind though. She had seen the Red Ranger morph, who were they?

It would seem the rumours surrounding the fall of the snake lord were true, it was a Ranger that brought down a monster. That only filled her with more confidence. If a Ranger had already won against a creature of the Zodiac empire then so could she. Chiwarri wouldn't know what hit him.

 _I will get you back Mouse, I will avenge you, Dozer. I finally have the power to truly show this world just how wrong it is._

* * *

 _End of Part 4_


	12. Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - pt5

Phase 2 - Beauty or Brawn? - part 5

* * *

 _Authors Note: Was potentially planning another interlude but got_ into _a mindset to finish up this Phase. Still undecided on the current format of following phases which mainly focus on_ specific _rangers etc. I may change it up a bit as I introduce more Rangers. May also do villain focused Phases as I introduce more of the heavy_ - _duty_ bad _guys. Next drop will be an interlude._

 _End of notes._

* * *

Zoe found herself marching confidently out of the building she had woke in barely an hour ago. The power she had received now coursed through her body. The injuries had already begun to heal themselves and she felt a strength humming just below the surface that wasn't there before.

She needed to confront Chiwarri that much was certain. Although marching straight in could be dangerous for Mouse. If he was used against her as a hostage then her new found strength would be useless. Zoe halted on the steps leading down from the building. A quick glance back and she could see that it was an old hospital. One of the many abandoned buildings in this area after the Empire took over.

Zoe actually recognised this area it wasn't too far from her childhood home. One she hadn't seen in a very long time. She shook the thought from her mind, her memories were clear now and that meant even less reason to ever make that trip. Her next move was clear, first she would visit Dozer and then she would sneak into Chiwarri's and free mouse. If the opportunity came about she would take out Chiwarri as well.

The piece of paper Manta had given her told her the address of the medical bay that was looking after her friend. It was a quick journey from here, she hoped he was awake.

* * *

The walk was a quiet one, the voices of her two companions usually filled the air instead a solemn silence had replaced it. It had given her time to try and filter through the mass of memories now swirling around inside her head, the rangers, the empire. Zoe had been trying to figure out how to morph. The silent memory had shown no real useful information on that front. It had shown the red ranger performing some strange feats of skill in combat. A natural reaction it would seem that she hoped would replicate in her own battles to come.

The sound of the medical bay slowly rose as she approached. The usual sounds of panic and orders roared, it was a busy place. Not many medical places still existed and the ones that did were a mess of chaos and suffering. Another fallout from the Zodiacs oh so glorious reign.

Dozer was being held in a small room, apparently whoever Zordan was had enough pull to get that setup. Zoe quickly darted between the crowd, making sure to keep her head low. On the way, she had noticed people staring, shaking their heads and turning away. Cowards. Less than twenty-four hours ago they had been cheering and saluting. How quickly the fickle crowd turns.

The sight has she slipped into the tiny room caused the tears to again storm her eyes. Dozer was laid up in a bed that was clearly too small for the very large man. There were wires spawning from all over and a set of machines tracked his vitals with a steady beep. He looked terrible like death had touched him leaving a marked man. Zoe just stared at the unconscious lump that was once her lumbering friend.

"Dozer, this is all my fault. If I hadn't dragged you along on all those silly raids you wouldn't be here, fighting for your life." Zoe whispered as she took Dozer's hand. Letting the silence be her prayer. The sight had only increased her determination, she would save Mouse and bring down Chiwarri. The little rabid dog would pay. Zoe kissed Dozer on the forehead, heading to leave. Turning at the last moment and issuing her promise out loud.

"I promise Dozer, that monster will pay what he's done to you, what he's done to everyone." Zoe left the medical bay with the hope that Dozer would survive to see the promise come to light.

* * *

Zoe waited till night had fallen before heading to where Chiwarri lived. They had known for awhile the monsters location, after a few scouting trips they had successfully tracked him home. It wasn't hard when they didn't fear humans. Zoe hadn't dared sneak inside but based on the design, which was a standard large home from the old world. She was pretty confident of finding her way around,

A quick scout of the outside and Zoe decided that a ground floor window was the easiest option. Prying open the window with ease she slipped inside. As expected the layout was fairly standard. She had entered into a sitting room of some kind, one that once would have been filled with lavish furnishing and probably some expensive paintings. All trashed now, the corridor was filled with doors leading to more rooms that she expected was much the same.

The house strangely quiet, apart from a single room. A blue tight filtered out and voices accompanied it. One voice was distinctive, the high pitched squeal of Chiwarri hurt her ears. The other voice was a mystery. Zoe crept up to the door, peering round while listening to the conversation.

"Sir, are you sure, I mean humans defeating one of the zodiac captains?" Chiwarri squeaked.

"We are certain. A meeting with Prince Zed has just convened and that was his conclusion." The mystery voice boomed back. The voice sounded almost posh with a slight woof sound trailing the ends of the words.

"Impossible. The snakes have almost been complacent, I can assure you, sir, no humans will best the number one racer in the dog sector." Chiwarri proudly barked.

The conversation continued but a sound had drawn Zoe's attention. It sounded like panting. She snapped her head around and locked eyes with a pair hounds. Before she could move they howled, grabbing her by the shoulders and launching her into the door of the room. Her body crashed through the wood, splintering with a crack. Chiwarri growled, staring directly at her as a group of hounds surrounded and held her in place.

"Excuse me, sir, I have some vermin that needs exterminating." Chiwarri bowed and the screen fizzled out. Zoe felt her heart beat faster. She had walked right into Chiwarri's paws.

"How dare you enter my home! Interrupting my call with the general as well! You shall pay for such blatant disrespect." Chiwarri revved his wheels, they spun for a moment and then he was in front of her before she could even blink. He was so damn fast.

"Wait a minute, I know you. The silly human from yesterday, you didn't suffer enough and come back for more?" Zoe tried to meet him on even terms but she found herself lowering her gaze.

"Where is Mouse, is he alive?" Chiwarri instantly laughed. A laugh that sounded like a high pitched howl.

"Your pathetic friend? He is alive allow me to show you the consequences of your actions." Zoe watched Chiwarri click his fingers and a hound began to rotate a crank in the far corner of the room.

The ceiling opened and Mouse was lowered into the room. He was missing an arm, his face bloodied a stained a dark purple. Dangling naked from chains holding him up by the wrist. Zoe heard a mumble but she couldn't make out the words.

"You monster!" Zoe felt the rage surge inside her again. She overpowered the four hounds holding down. The strength of the morpher flowing through her. She threw her arms up knocking them back. Turning she punched one square in the face sending him flying. She felt a hand on her back, she replied by twisting and sending him crashing down over her shoulder. Zoe was struggling with the third when a blow connected with her stomach.

Her body was sent sailing through the air, crashing into the far wall hard. Within seconds of her body connecting she felt a second blow which completely winded her. Dropping to the floor she felt a tight grip wrap around her throat.

"Puny human, thinking of fighting me?" Chiwarri wasted no time in continuing his onslaught. Sending Zoe flying through the window this time and out onto the street. Zoe strained to pick herself up as she saw half the wall was taken out as well. Chiwarri sped out of the hole, connecting with a kick as she bounced along in the dirt. Chiwarri was laughing,

She struggled to her knees as hope began slipping away. A pack of hounds flooded out the now gaping hole in the side of the house. Falling in line behind their tiny captain. She had no hope, what had she been thinking.

No. Not like this, not again. Zoe stood.

Zoe watched the fury rise in Chiwarri's eyes. She raised her fists and screamed. Chiwarri smiled.

"Kill her hounds, I expect her bones for dinner." The hounds charged. Zoe waited for the end to come. She would take as many of the dirty dogs with her before she fell.

"Get down!" A voice screamed, she dropped to the floor. Just in time, a barrage of what looked like arrows swept the field in front of her. Zoe looked up to see a red blur connect with a kick, sending Chiwarri skidding backwards. The blur of red used the push to backflip landing just in front of her. Hope erupted inside her.

The Red Ranger stood tall. Offering a hand, which she took to get up. The ranger nodded and dropped a pile of chains at her feet. She welled up. He had saved Mouse. A new pack of hounds had formed. He pointed at her waist and dashed off leaping amongst the hounds as they began the slaughter.

Zoe looked at where the Ranger had pointed to a soft blue glow that constantly thrummed at her waist. Just like that she knew what to do, raising the morpher up she locked eyes with Chiwarri.

"It's Morphin time." Zoe felt a surge of energy as the world around her changed. An open space exploded before her, a frozen lake. A blue light swirled at her feet, spinning faster and faster until it shot away from her. She watched as it formed a creature. An arctic fox, it curved around behind her racing towards her body. Launching itself into the air it collided with her back the light splashing over her as it clung tightly to her body.

The force dropped her down on a knee. The light closing over her head as the fox sang in the cold air. She stood, her body covered in a cool blue like armour. Thin and light in build. Over her face, a helmet formed, a slim visor across her eyes. The rest completely blue. Long fox-like ears slicked back off her helmet. A crop top like body armour rested on her chest. Blue shorts at her waist. In the centre of her belt sat the morpher now centred itself by the hologram of an arctic fox.

Chiwarri howled a horrible scream. Racing forward in a rage. In her new form suddenly Chiwarri didn't seem as fast. Zoe's feet seemed to slide like skates on the floor. She dodged his attack and his return dash. He pulled up short turning in hopes of catching her off guard. Zoe instantly knew how to use a new power. Calling to the morphing grid moments before Chiwarri connected with a lethal blow.

"Frost clones!" Zoe instantly fizzled apart in a puff of snow. Chiwarri dashed through her his blow hitting the air. In her place, three clones surrounded the monster.

"Be careful Chiwarri, choose wrong and it could be very painful." Zoe taunted her opponent. Seeing him getting lost in a rage. Chiwarri shot forward picking a fake Zoe, the clone burst smothering Chiwarri in a cold icy mist. The cold slowed Chiwarri's movements. Zoe dropped to a knee.

"Frozen Terrain, fox fist." The ground at her feet began to freeze shooting away from her and covering the ground around her in a circle. Chiwarri tried to move, his wheels skidded on the ice as he lost control.

Zoe skated forward, using the ice to boost her speed as energy filled her fist with power, with a graceful twirl to provide even more momentum, she punched Chiwarri in the chest. There was a yelp and Zoe watched as the little monster crashed hard on the floor.

"I made a promise Chiwarri that you would die for what you did to my friends." The rage had been replaced with fear. Chiwarri had begun to realise he was no match for a Power Ranger.

A strange sound, a high pitched whistle. She glanced above to where the sound was coming from. A Large silhouette hovered in the air, a deep voice announcing his attack.

"Bulldog Barrage." Suddenly from all different locations over the silhouettes, body explosions sent rockets sailing towards her.

"Look out!" Zoe turned to see the Red ranger leap towards her, gathering her up in a swoop, gliding on little wing-like shapes formed under his arms. The swoop carried them both out of the line of fire moments before the assault left a crater in the ground where Zoe had stood.

Zoe composed herself quickly, seeing the new monster help Chiwarri to his feet.

"Bull-Bomber, what are you doing here?" Chiwarri squealed.

"The master doubted your ability to handle the situation if the rumours were true. It seems he was correct, the Power Rangers have truly returned." The gruff voice of Bull-Bomber barked back.

Zoe hadn't seen this creature before. A large monster with plane-like wings on his back, thrusters. His face resembled a bulldog, grumpy and angry. Two large rocket launchers sat at his hips and under his palms sat two more. His legs were bulky and attached to both legs were small multi-rocket cannons. The black sunglasses topped off his look. A walking bomber.

"Chiwarri, let's regroup we don't know the extent of their powers it's a fools battle to fight two of them with that level of knowledge." Bomber spoke, Chiwarri looked pissed. Zoe was enraged.

"No way I am letting you get away!" Zoe screamed as she stepped forward. The Red Ranger stopped her.

"Don't be stupid. You have your friend, we don't know if we can take two of them. " The voice sounded male, shy and soft. She almost punched him in the face.

"I made a promise to another friend that I would end that miserable runt's life! No way I am letting him just fly away." Zoe caught sight of Chiwarri leaping into Bombers arms, who promptly began to lift into the air. Chiwarri just stared at Zoe with hatred. If he could see her own eyes she would be giving him the exact same look.

"Follow me." The red ranger commanded.

"Excuse me?" Who did he think he was ordering her around? "Why should I listen to you?" Zoe was pissed. Chiwarri had escaped. She watched as the ranger leapt onto the roof, picking up Mouse.

"Do you want you, friend, to live or would you rather chase your vengeance?" He said before leaping back off the roof and slinking down a street. Zoe followed, for Mouse's sake she had to.

The journey was a silent one. Both of them stayed in Ranger form and they moved quickly. Zoe wasn't sure how long they had been travelling but they soon stood outside the exact hospital she had left earlier this morning. Manta stood just inside the door as they entered. To Zoe's surprise, Manta dropped to her knees at the sight of them.

"It is true, the Rangers truly have started to return." Only then did she realise her suit was still active. She watched the red ranger touch the morpher at his belt, de-morphing before stepping forward to hand Mouse to Manta.

Zoe followed red's lead, touching her belt and de-morphing. She looked at the man who had saved her twice back in the fight, who had also saved Mouse. He stood fairly tall, well built but not overly bulky. Pale skin and his face hidden underneath a hood.

"So come on then, who are you?" Zoe had said it more forcefully than intended. She was actually embarrassed about needing his help. He had after all defeated a snake captain entirely on his own.

"Oh, sorry." He dropped his hood, revealing a young looking face yet it was a face that had know hardship and seen pain.

Zoe watched as he looked at her properly for the first time. His eyes traced her body from top to bottom, pausing slightly at her chest and waist. She was still wearing the tank top and shorts both of which revealed more than that already did before the fight. She saw him blush and glance away, she answered with a smile and placed her hands on her hips.

"Names, Zane, pleased to meet you." Zane. He wasn't much of a talker, in fact, he seemed a lot shyer away from the fight. His confidence and authority had been strong. Never once doubting his ability to get the job done. This man blushed and averted his eyes at a bit of skin and a good pair of boobs.

"Zoe, I guess I owe you a thank you for saving me back there." Zane shrugged, muttered that it was no problem. Glanced at her once and leant against the wall.

"So Zane, trust me when I say I am pleased to see you but what are you doing here?" Zoe said. Zane paused for a moment.

"Zordan told me that another ranger might need my help, told me about this place and that dog monsters location." Zane crossed his arms. So Zordan had known she would accept the power. How? Who the hell was he?

"Thank you, truly, you saved my friend that means more to me than you will ever know." Zoe smiled, touching his arm gently. Zane smiled back, giving her a nod.

"Zordan said to stick around, he will be back, didn't say when though." Zoe was surprised to hear this. Was Zane staying? This made her happy, it was comforting to have another ranger around. Especially one who had been doing this longer than her.

"How long have you been a ranger? The rumours started a couple of weeks ago, no one believed them of course. Who could believe a member of the Zodiacs fell to a human." Zoe asked as they began to stroll the corridor.

"A month, not that I have done much since taking out Mamba-Drummer. The snakes have played defensive. Just managed to cause a bit of chaos here and there." Zane said.

Zoe nodded. A month was longer than a day, still, both of them barely knew what they were doing. What were they meant to do? Surely two people couldn't take on an empire. The previous rangers had tried, they had also failed.

"What should we do now?" Zoe didn't know why but she trusted Zane, him being here felt right. She didn't even want to think about the fact a short while ago there was clones, ice and a giant flying bulldog with rockets. This felt like it had always meant to happen. Like it or not they were in this together.

"Well, was thinking of causing a little bit more chaos, for the dogs this time. Besides didn't you say something about a promise you had to keep?" Zane didn't meet her eyes but he smiled. Zoe smiled back.

"Damn right I did, that bastard hurt my friend. I owe him more than a punch to the nose." Zane nodded in agreement. Zoe clenched her fist. The dog sector was about to be thrown into hell.

* * *

Authors Note:

 _Up Next: Interlude - Generals of the roundtable!_


	13. Interlude - The roundtable of Zodiacs

Interlude - The roundtable of Zodiacs

* * *

Prince Zedd sat at the large round metal slab that acted as a table before him. Moira leaned against his golden throne as always, a seductive grin plastered on her face. Evenly spaced around the table were holograms. The shadowed faces of the Zodiac generals sat bickering and growling at each other over recent events.

"We must put a stop to this outrageous act of disrespect, the humans cannot be allowed to gain too much confidence from this. " The rough voice of the Ox General cut over the low arguing.

"Let the dog and snake clear up this mess, it is after all only happening in their territory." There was a sharp crunch after the Rabbit generals response.

"The Red _Ranger,_ has plagued two territories now, how long before he comes to all territories?" The snake general hissed back. To which the dog general huffed in an agreement.

"If you had dealt with them already then we wouldn't _have_ to worry about our territories." Rooster said, to which Monkey and Goat mumbled their agreements as well. The Tiger, Dragon, Pig, Rat and Horse generals sat silently watching the whole affair unfold.

The table erupted again as the generals began to argue the best way to handle the situation. Other than the silent few. The galaxies most fearsome and deadly warriors, creatures that defeated the legendary Power Rangers. Bickered like earthlings. Zedd felt the anger boil, his father would have slaughtered them all by now at this display of weakness.

Moira giggled slightly, noticing how Zedd was about to explode. Zedd clenched his fist tight, purple lightning sizzled around his fist as he slammed it damn hard into the metal slab. The table buckled and bent at the force. Silence filled the room.

"Your all pathetic, fighting over squabbles of land and whose fault is what. This whole world belongs to the zodiac empire, to King Zeal. Therefore none of it is your land, you are simply letting _humans_ embarrass and shame the entire empire!" Zedd roared out, anger causing his voice to strain. The lightning still crackled over his fist.

"You may have helped defeat the Power Rangers but that doesn't mean the battle is over. Have you all gone soft? Puny humans too much for you?" The Zodiacs all bowed their heads but none spoke.

"Dog, Snake I wish to speak with you alone. The rest of you get out of my sight, my need for you is done." Zedd lent back in his chair as the lights flickered out one by one until two remained.

"My Prince what it is you wish for us to do." They spoke almost in unison a mix of gruff words and hisses.

"Bring me the so-called _Power Rangers_ heads. Their brief rebellion will serve as a highlight to the Zodiac empires dominance. I, like my father, shall make an example of them for the world to see." Moira giggled again at his worlds, Zedd merely sounded bored, the subject had worn thin.

"It will be done, my prince." The snake general hissed as he flickered out.

"I will ensure your dominance reigns for a thousand years." The dog generals light flickered out as well.

Moira skipped around sitting on the edge of the deformed table.

"What if they should fail my _brother_." Moira's words sounded sinister, almost hopeful. She truly was filled with evil.

"If they should fail my sister," Zedd stood drawing his long blade from where it was holstered at his side, the hilt was silver a Large 'Z' in honor of his ancestor.

"They shall feel pain beyond anything they have felt before, then they shall die for failing the Zodiac empire." Zedd let lightning dance across his blade, bringing up and slicing the round table in half. Moira danced back out the way, the whole time her face was plastered with a smile, giggling echoed throughout the chamber. Zedd simply huffed and settled back into his throne.

* * *

Author Note:

The next Phase will commence. Zane and Zoe take the fight to Dog sector. Phase 3 - The Dogs of War.


	14. Phase 3 - Dogs of War - pt1 (Aftermath)

Phase 3_Part1_Aftermath

It had been a week since Zane had arrived in the dog sector. Zordan had requested his travel because there was a worry the Zodiac empire wouldn't take his successful defeat of the Snake captain lightly. Zordan was right.

Zane had arrived and quickly tranced a raging battle between a fellow ranger and a runt of monster he now knows was called Chiwarri. He had known Zoe was a ranger instantly, despite her not being morphed. They had managed to save one of her friends, an oddly named man called Mouse. In the time since they returned to their current base of operations, Zoe has spent most of her time switching between here and the local medical centre in town. Another of her friends were injured and recovery there. Apparently the consequences of her actions prior to becoming a ranger.

Zane had spent his time laying low, doing short scouts of the area and training. Zoe often joined him and her technical ability in martial arts and fighting far exceeded his own, she was apparently trained by the third member of the current band of outlaws Manta, an alien creature whose origin Zane still hadn't figured out. Although Zoe's fighting prowess was beyond him, the intuition and experience he has gathered by being the red shadow often evened out their sessions. They could learn a lot from each other, yet, that was the extent of their interaction. Zoe hadn't really spoken to him since they returned last week.

Zane sat in the courtyard studying his morpher, the memories that swirled in his head hadn't really helped him truly understand what exactly he held in his hands. The strange piece of technology often felt alive. It had spoken to him, that he was sure of but since then it was just a feeling. Like a presence was all around him. Zordan said it would change him, that it would mean he would no longer be fully human. Whatever the hell that meant.

"You could stare at that thing forever and still not understand even the smallest thing about what it really is," Manta said as she sat down beside him.

Manta was a curious creature, her nature was soft and gently and yet when Zane looked at her eyes he could feel the danger radiate from them. Not so much fear but rather a caution. Zane didn't want to mess with the calm natured cat, her claws were no doubt sharp.

"You know, when Zordan first found me months ago I had spent years doing exactly what you are now." Manta smiled gently.

"You held a morpher, are you a ranger?" Zane asked although he felt that if she was then the answer would have already been obvious. He had known Zoe was a ranger and he felt nothing similar towards Manta.

"God no, I was simply the person who had managed to acquire one of the inactive morphers." Zane was shocked. The morpher he held had been locked away in the basement of a Zodiac monster. Then again Zordan had held four other morphers already, the fact one of them had come from Manta was just surprising.

"Do you know anything, I just need to try and understand, this thing is supposedly changing me, us. I don't like being the dark." Zane twisted the morpher in hands as he spoke, the red light humming slightly in the cool midday air.

"Only what Zordan has thought to share with me. They are like conduits, they focus the morphing grid and allow you as rangers to harness it. Think of it like a tap connected to a massive invisible pool of water."

"The morphing grid, even Zordan sounded unsure of what exactly that is." Zane sighed.

"Yes. It is apparently beyond our understanding, the only thing certain is that is a force for good. Although that doesn't mean it can't be used for evil." Manta took a serious tone.

"For evil, you think this power could be used for evil?"

"Of course, the morphers, the grid, it merely supplies the power to those that can theoretically wield it. How those people use that power is up to them. Everyone has the capacity for evil, just as much as good."

"Also you must remember that although the power does it's best to keep itself hidden that doesn't mean it can't be found. If those with evil intentions find a way to access the pool, they can poison the water." Manta lightly placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Zane, the power doesn't give itself up easily if you have been chosen it is because it believes your capacity for good far outweighs the potential for evil. You have already proven your desires by your actions." Zane smiled back at Manta's words.

The capacity for evil. Zoe didn't really seem like the person that would succumb to the temptation but what of the other rangers? The world was a different place than during the last iteration existed. The world was darker, more evil, selfish. Yet it had found him and show him hope. He had to believe the other rangers would be the same.

"Thank you Manta, Zoe is lucky to have had you to guide her. The world can be a dark place. It's about time it experiences some hope." Zane placed his hand over the morpher, turning his palm clockwise ninety degrees. The morpher responded with a bleep and a hologram appeared floating slightly above the red light at its centre.

"I found this the other day, I am not quite sure what it is. It looks like a chunk of something." Zane said not letting Manta respond to his previous words, he knew it was a sore subject.

Manta sat quietly watching the floating piece of pie slowly turning on the spot. She snapped her fingers suddenly leaning forward more. Zane flushed red at her closeness, despite being an alien she was still female and well endowed and he hadn't experienced much of the opposite sex. Especially not out of battle. Manta didn't seem to notice his posture change.

"It's a map!" Manta yelled.

"A map? How is this a map? It doesn't show much." Zane said, noting Manta was now close enough that her body was leaning against his arm. Zane resisted shuffling away.

"Well it's a piece of a map, look that structure there? It's the main plaza of the dog territory." Zane followed Manta's finger. Noting he didn't know what the plaza would have looked like from above.

"If this is a piece, then maybe the full map can only be seen once all the morphers are together. This glowing line, it must be a path. A path to where?" Zane asked. Manta shook her head and leaned back. Zane relaxed, although he was sure his face would still be bright red.

"Where's Zoe we need to confirm-"

A loud bang followed by a rumbling shake cut Zane short. A dark cloud of smoke rose in the distance.

"Zane, that smoke it looks like it's coming from the medical bay, Zoe she went to see Dozer." Manta's voice cracked as she spoke.

Zane leapt to his feet, he scaled the stairs in seconds racing inside the building and out the front onto the street. The smoke rose off to his right, quickly scanning the surrounding buildings he noted there compact arrangement. Close enough to jump between the rooves of each building. That would be the fastest route.

Zane wasted no time scaling the side of a building, his years of red shadow experience flooding back instantly. The wind rushed past as the cloak fluttered frantically behind him. At some point, he had placed his red mask on. Instincts still carried his body. The smoke neared and the screams rose. The sound of crackling fire now met his ears, the smoke darker and thicker. Zane went to leapt off the closest building as another explosion erupted in the air, the force sent him flying back. His body skidded across the flat roof grinding to a halt only as he hit the small ridge at the other side.

Slowly he limped towards the opposing edge, glancing over his eyes met the carnage below and began to process everything at once. People scattered, a building lay in rubble. Blood and death littered the streets. Zane found Zoe clutching what looked like a corpse except they stood arm draped over Zoe's shoulder.

He switches his gaze in the opposite direction expecting to see Chiwarri or the bomber creature from their previous battle and was surprised to see two new creatures smirking towards where Zoe stood.

One was covered in shiny dark blue armour, large exhaust pipes rose from its sides curling towards it's back and over its shoulders. In Between the two pipes, a large shell-like back clicked open and shut randomly. The horn on its head reminded him of a stag beetle. So did the rest of its body. A motorbike riding stag beetle his body like the shell of a beetle but also the leather of bikers choice of clothes. Apparently, the dog zodiacs had access to creatures other than dogs.

The second resembled the first slightly, it had a leather jacket resting over really fluffy white and brown fur. You couldn't see its eyes and its tongue sagged out leaving a trail of slobber dripping slightly towards the floor. A leather-clad sheepdog with a giant hammer, the hammer was built with large exhaust bikes around the head it looked like a thruster.

Zoe had blood dripping down her forehead, right arm looking broken as it dangled at her side. The war had begun, the dogs firing the first shot and it had begun it a ball of flame and death.

Zane leapt off the roof into the battlefield below.


End file.
